OK, I just downloaded and read MikeR's install instructions. Yeah, I can do that easy enough (I wasn't expecting it to be that straightforward!!).

Now, I'm all for improving the ride on my slightly lowered car, but I'm confused as to just how these bits accomplish that. If you set them to the same length as the stock pieces, what are you changing that makes for the improvement in ride? What am I missing?

 

Mike, you dont set them to the same length... they get set 1" shorter to put the sway bar at a neutral load point... you can set them a little longer if you want a little bit of load on the sway bar...

Factory link length is ~7.8" CTC of mounting holes.... 6 7/8" - 7" on the new links

 

OK, gotcha. So, as per the directions, lay the new one on top of the factory piece to match length for installation, then adjust to shorter length once installed and then go see my alignment guy. Perfect.

 

Les - keep us posted on your findings. I still have my end links sitting in a box in the garage. I thought I was going to have a chance this weekend but it looks like no dice.

 

See Les' post #37 and #40...

 

I can't wait to get my car out of the garage and take a look at this. Of all the years I have replaced sway bar links, bushings, frame bushings, I have yet to come across one that is "loaded" when the car is sitting level, lowered or not. It sounds like this system is more a torsion bar helper spring than a sway bar. A sway bar usually is only "loaded" when cornering or the car is leaning.

James

 

MikeR, is this necessary? I can not see that it should throw off alignment that badly, but I have a lifetime alignment at firestone and a good alignment guy, so if so, I am out nothing

 

I wouldn't think changing just the sway bar links would require an alignment... we aren't changing any settings on the camber, trailing or track arms....or even touching them..

 

My thoughts exactly, but maybe I will throw mine on the rack after installing just to see if anything is even remotely out of whack.

The free lifetime alignment for $179 coupled with an ex-MB employee at the shop, that I know well, does the alignments and I am made in the shade for many years to come

 

Will send you a PM for a pair, I have had issues with particular bumps/roads (mosty ugly intersections) where the noise/jarring is fairly alarming. One in particular is turn/bump combo that makes me cringe every time. I always had a hunch something was just not right but had no clue how to really go about fixing it. I can definitely put them to the test in a few spots, thanks for your work and making these available. The camber bars you made for me are great (although I need to turn one around, put the flat spot closer to the wheel on the driver side like a noob)

 

Installed the sway bar end links on Saturday. Not a difficult install but a bit of a pita. Not a 15 minute install per side the first time you do it. On the other hand I was at a friends shop so trying to find tools and the rights size wrenches for everything (metric vs. standard) took a bit of time. I would also not recommend using a lift. I did and think it would have been faster using a jack.

There is an improved ride and improved handling. Everything just seems to work better - more like it was designed to. With the pretension the car was fighting itself.

I could have used a shorter center piece (I would have said rod but did not want to go there with this crowd). I reduced the end link to the smallest setting and still probably could have used another 1 - 1.5" of travel.

These are absolutely worth the money and effort. These plus the camber arms are making the rest of the stock components look bad.

 

Teacher teacher I know the answer! New links: 14mm 19mm 22mm 24mm. To get the old ones off 13mm and ..... the top on is 16mm I believe. You have to remember that Mike and I are always messing with the suspension.

Les

 

Yep - those were the wrenches I used. I was glad to find an allen wrench at the shop that fit perfectly vs. having to modify one.

 

Mike I just wanted to jump in here and say thanks again for this product , I will say with out a doubt this was in the top3 the best money spent on a mod to correct the handling of my car since lowering it. I have had some issues with the tires rubbing the inside of the wheel wells and have spent many hours and dollars to adjust and tweek the rear of my car , decieded to install them sunday morning ,the Install was straight forward ,and really simple got everything tightened back up and took the car out for a test drive to listen for noises and such ...first thing I noticed was the ride my car has never riddin this good since I first purchased it ,all of a sudden the rubbing issue is gone.and the rear of the car is planted and very predictable in the hard curves . its still hard to wrap my head around the fact that the pre-load on my rear sway bar was causing the rear to bind and ride hard , the shocks where obviously not being able to do their job at all ,but now thats a different story too ,,I adjusted them several times during the test run and imeadiatly noticed the difference in ride and handling each time I changed the firmness in the shiock the car responded to the setting ..,, I guess I'm very fortunate to finally find the right setup for my car and to have it performe better than I expected... the last and final mod I will be adding will be the 30mm front sway bar ,,and new Poly bushings on the rear.... Again Thanks for your input and parts you design ,guys like you and Woody and Rob have really help bring the cars to their true potiental ...... H&R 30mm Swaybar orderd , it will be on the car when I hit the Dragon ..


Howard.

 

I'm convinced and need a set. Please PM me with the way to pay and I can get these as soon as possible. I am starting to smile already!!!

 

Put these on Friday after work. More than 15 mins a side for me (the second one was probably about 20 mins though) but I'm a noob. I had some slight differences from the instructions, nothing that would hold anybody up specially if you did the springs/ shocks. (10mm socket for removing the covers on the rear arms so you can get to the lower bolt. Nut on the top of the new link was 9/16 not 5/16 on mine)

I want to say I felt the diffence when I sat down but that is a bit of an exaggeration. The first bump I hit though I could tell immediately. Rides a lot better to say the least, especially with a passenger. I tested on some spots I had known issues before and everything is gravy. Put about 200 miles on, twistes, backroads, highway etc. Road feel and stability in the rear is much improved, took a few twisties to get used to as the rear does feel a lot different. Difference was felt as much in the twisties as the highway as well. The squat is more noticeable as you get up to speed and there is still room to absorb the bumps. Dips at speed no longer end sharply and are absorbed completely keeping that stuck to the road feeling in tact. I will have to play with the koni settings again, I couldn't feel the changes much without these on the car, I assume this will make each turn much more apparent as the shocks are allowed to compress.

One downside is I do have a couple of new noises in the back now but could be other stuff/ a combo. In a couple situations (I think dips/holes mostly) I get kind of a "thud." Seems like something is at its mix/max. I want to say its like the bar has no load and then when everything compresses again there is a thud as it all links back up. I also got some creaking that was not there before but this may just be the bar actually moving/doing its job. Anyone else have any new noises? I probably need to adjust as I left them at 7" I may need to recheck my Koni top bolts etc. to make sure all are tight as well.

In short, these are more than worth it and should be standard items to pick up along with the camber arms to do a proper job when dropping the Crossfire. Thanks again to Mike for making these available and to all the crazy people pushing their rides and creating the need for stuff like this.

 

Got my links last week and will install sometime this week. I will report back once they're installed. Thanks again Mike!!

 

Took wheel off after work to take a look. Found some contact points I did not have before. I did put it through its paces pretty hard so not sure how much contact I would see from my standard daily usage.







I jacked up the arm to see if I could create the contact but couldn't, must happen when body is going down and the rest is moving upward.

 

The only other car I have seen pics of this contact was from Les with his original after market camber arms that were MUCH bigger in diameter.... I believe that he actually ground that body seam to get more clearance.... but he REALLY pushes his car at the track....

what are your Koni's set at?? Mine are set at 1 1/2 turns (2 turns is max stiff) and I get no contact....I will try setting them to 1 turn and see how it responds.....

my links are set at 6 7/8".... but I think they need to go to 7" or 7 1/8".....I think I am too neutral and need just a little load on the sway bar...

I also dont get any rear tire rubbing on the inner fender wells on sharp bumps now with the new links....

 

I'm surprised about the sudden appearance of contact with the adjustable links. I had the same contact a few years ago. I switched out the blue Ebay camber arms for Speedybenz's (before Mike started making them) and the contact was less, but still there. In the end, the solution was to grind a little clearance in the body seam. I used a grinding stone on my drill and sealed it afterwards. You could probably get it done with a half round file if necessary. The other solution is raise the rear of the car until it doesn't hit. Or the original arms with Kmac. Or put it back the way you had it before. Not wanting to grind clearance on my car I put up with some contact for a long time. When I installed the variant II's I bit the bullet and got out the grinder.

Les